Recently a girl’s obsession with selfies proved to be fatal in Satara, Maharashtra after she fell into a gorge on 3 August, Saturday . While taking a selfie, the girl slipped into a gorge at Borne Ghat near Ungar Road, Satara. With the help of the villagers, the girl was rescued. Authorities reported that the girl was standing near the edge of a cliff to capture a perfect shot when she lost her balance and fell. However, after this accident, the girl got very scared and got injured. Subsequently, she was admitted to a hospital for the treatment.
Not only this case there are many more cases in which people got injured or some of them died on the spot due to taking selfies in endangered places.
Like the following cases:-
On 15 February a 38-year-old man went over a 12-foot fence to enter the lion enclosure at a zoo in Tirupati in order to take a selfie. He entered the enclosure close to the lions who immediately and fatally attacked him.
In July, 27-year-old travel influencer Aanvi Kamdar fell to her death while shooting footage at a 300-foot waterfall in India to share on her Instagram.
In April, a 39-year-old content creator slipped off a viewing platform in the country of Georgia while climbing a barrier to take a selfie.
In March, it was a 43 year old tourist in Indonesia; he had just taken a photo of himself at the edge of a cliff. In December, a 39 year old tourist fell off a cliff in Beacon Hill, New York, while posing for a selfie with her husband.
On 23 april 2023 he attempted to take a selfie on a helipad, Jitendra Kumar Saini, the financial controller of the Uttarakhand State Civil Aviation development authority died while taking selfies in the helipad.
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Total Selfie Deaths & Injuries by Country
As stated in the introduction, there have been a documented:
- 314 selfie incidents (deaths, injuries, or both) which range from one injury or fatality all the way up to 48 injuries from one incident.
- From these incidents, there were 425 deaths by selfie or selfie-related causes.
- 82 injuries were also recorded as being specifically selfie-related.
- 49 countries have had documented selfie-related deaths.
India is the country with the most selfie-related deaths and injuries, with a total of 190 deaths (47% of all total deaths) and 55 injuries. Next is the United States, with 29 deaths, and Russia, with 18 deaths.
Risking your life for the perfect photo
Nowadays clicking selfies and sharing them on social media has become a mode of self-expression. Taking the perfect photo for social media often leads to risky behavior filled by the desire to stand out in a crowded landscape taking selfies is considered to be a mode of self-expression in today’s generation like looking in a mirror. Selfies are well popular among Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest users. It is rewarding for individuals seeing the number of likes and positive comments and this further influences them to post unique pictures which may also involve indulging in risky behavior to click selfies.
India has the highest number of selfie-related deaths.
Dangerous selfies are a public health issue
The media tends to portray dangerous selfie-taking as foolish and selfish, often blaming the victim. However, selfies are now a regular part of everyday life, and these scientists assert that the act of taking risky selfies should be addressed as a public health issue.
Similarly, previous generations considered driving without a seatbelt, riding a bike without a helmet, and smoking cigarettes ‘normal’ everyday activities that are now public health hazards.
By recognizing these risky behaviors as public health issues, we stop blaming and shaming and instead begin to take steps toward prevention and education.
This would be a step further than past decisions to designate dangerous tourist areas, such as bodies of water, mountain peaks, and tall buildings, as ‘no selfie zones’.
Safety: How to Take the Perfect Picture with the safety measures.
- Always follow posted guidelines.
- Check before you pull out your camera.
- Travel with a friend.
- Don’t assume something is sturdy.
- Never, ever use a phone or electronic device while driving, walking around, or operating any kind of vehicle.
- Just because an animal seems friendly or docile, don’t chance it.
- Taking selfies isn’t the only risk; posting can be risky, too.